FC Barcelona seems to have definitively ruled out the name of Dusan Vlahovic as a possible alternative to Robert Lewandowski next summer. The Serbian, although his contract ends next summer, will miss around three months due to a serious left thigh injury sustained in early December against Napoli.
Tests conducted by Juventus's medical staff confirmed that the 25-year-old player suffers from a high-grade injury at the musculotendinous junction of the left adductor longus, which will keep him out of action until early March 2026.
Vlahovic scored 6 goals in 17 games for Juve this season before his injury, and everything pointed to his departure on a 'free transfer' next summer. The 'Old Lady' paid Fiorentina 83.5 million euros for his transfer in 2022, but the '9' never lived up to the expectations generated by his signing
In total, the Serbian has scored 64 goals in 162 official matches so far with Juventus, while with Fiorentina he had scored 49 in 102 appearances. Pubalgia hampered his performance in the first few months in Turin. From 2023 to the present, Dusan has only missed 15 matches due to muscle problems, but his offensive output has always been inconsistent.
Barcelona forgets about Dusan Vlahovic, for now
In this regard, Vlahovic's injury will keep him sidelined for about three months, one more reason for Barça to rule out even fully entering the bidding for his signing. The 25-year-old forward has been offered to the Blaugrana team, but beyond the possibility of signing him for 'zero cost,' there is a factor that conditions the Catalan club's interest.
The Juventus '9' earns 12 million net per year, a salary that Barça is not willing to assume. To convince the Blaugrana board to sign him, the Serbian would have to significantly reduce his salary after the World Cup, in addition to finishing the season at a high level.
Dusan hasn't scored 20 or more goals since 21/22, just when Juve decided to sign him in winter. The renewal with the 'Old Lady' seems unlikely, and everything points to the '9' wanting to continue his career away from Italy. In any case, Barça will continue to monitor his future in the final stretch of 25/26, when the club defines what to do with Robert Lewandowski
Signing a '9' would only be a priority for Barça in the summer
For now, the board and coaching staff are confident that the Pole will return to his best form in the second half of the season, provided he can stay healthy. 'Lewy' has missed 5 games so far due to muscle problems and his offensive output (8 goals) is far from usual.
However, the good work of **Ferran Torres** (11 goals) and the return of **Raphinha** provide the club with peace of mind regarding the possibility of going after another striker in the next winter transfer window. If Barça decides to sign another '9', the investment will be made in the summer, once Lewandowski, who has the highest salary in the squad with 26 million euros gross annually, leaves.